Exchangeable decor panel for portable cellular phone

ABSTRACT

A structure of exchangeable décor panel for portable cellular phone that is applied to the folding portable cellular phone having a continuing groove located on a proper position of flip cover and base portion thereof for accommodating a décor panel made of flexible material, wherein said flexible décor panel is installed in its inner side with two rigid plates whose outer rims conform exactly to the outer rims of said décor panel, moreover, there is at least one retainer extending outwards from the outer rim of said rigid plate for clipping on the corresponding retainer holes installed inside said continuing groove to form a compact structure, thus, said décor panel can be changed at will to enable said cellular phone to have different appearance.

This application is a Continuation of currently pending application U.S.Ser. No. 10/795,332, entitled “EXCHANGEABLE DECOR PANEL FOR PORTABLECELLULAR PHONE” and filed on Mar. 9, 2004.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

(a). Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a portable cellular phone withexchangeable décor panel, more specifically to an exterior décor paneldesign for the folding portable cellular phone.

(b). Description of the Prior Arts

Today, telecommunication industry is becoming more and more importantfor human life. There are products from the early telephone, fax machineand intercom and so on, to the Global Positioning System (GPS), pager,wireless communication and fixed network etc. of the modern world. Theadvances in the telecommunication industry are making it possible torapidly transmit the voice, image and graphic via a wireless means. Theresult is the fast development and prosperity of the global economy andindustry. Consequently, the computer industry and the telecommunicationindustry are destined to become the two leading industry which canprogress in the speed beyond human imagination and bring a vast changeto human life.

Due to the development of GSM cellular phone, portable cellular phoneshave come into wide use in Taiwan for connecting friends, relatives andclients with great efficiency. Moreover, the global roaming capabilityof the GSM cellular phone enables the user to be able to use hisportable cellular phone everywhere in the world that, in consequence,provides a favorable condition for the prevalence of cellular phone.Besides, in addition to the common answering incoming calls and issuingoutgoing calls, modern cellular phones have many additional functions(such as recording, calendar, games, MP3, WAP, etc.). Please refer toFIG. 1, a schematic drawing is presented illustrating a structure ofexchangeable décor panel for portable cellular phone. In order to panderto people's liking for novelty, some cellular phone manufacturers designa product with exchangeable décor panel that can be changed by consumers(e.g. Nokia 3310, 8810, etc.). The kind of cellular phone is composed ofa body A2, a front cover A1 and a back cover A3. Through changing thefront cover A1 and back cover A3 with different pattern and color, theconsumer's craving for novelty can be fulfilled.

While changing the décor panel of the portable cellular phone using theaforementioned method, in order to prevent the décor panel from fallingoff by outside influences, the locking clasps between the front and backcover are designed to be rigidly precise. Therefore, the method forchanging the décor panel of the portable cellular phone can stillpresent a daunting task for many users. The method will require manypractices to be able to master and is not acceptable for most consumers.

As to the folding portable cellular phone, it is common that nostructure with exchangeable décor panel is installed. Therefore, theappearance of the kind of cellular phone is usually too stale to stir upthe craving of young cellular phone consumers. In view of the abovedrawback, the present invention is related to a structure ofexchangeable décor panel for the folding portable cellular phone.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above drawback of the prior art, the present invention isa portable cellular phone with exchangeable décor panel. The primaryobject of the present invention is to provide a folding, portablecellular phone having a continuing groove located at a proper positionof the flip cover and the base portion thereof for accommodating a décorpanel made of flexible material. The flexible décor panel is installedin its inner side with two rigid plates whose outer rims conform exactlyto the outer rims of the décor panel. There is at least one retainerextending outwards from the outer rim of the rigid plate for clipping onthe corresponding retainer holes installed inside the continuing grooveto form a compact structure. Thus, the décor panel can be changed atwill to enable the cellular phone to have different appearance.

Another object of the present invention is to enable users of theportable cellular phone to take off and change the décor panel bythemselves without the help of any auxiliary tools, so that the décorpanel of the cellular phone can be changed with ease and convenience.

The third object of the present invention is to provide an openinginstalled at the proper position of the décor panel and the rigid plateto cooperate with a second screen of the cellular phone for displaying.

Yet another object of the present invention is to provide the cellularphone with a better protection while subjecting to an impact byemploying the flexible décor panel as a buffer.

Other and further features, advantages and benefits of the inventionwill become apparent in the following description taken in conjunctionwith the following drawings. It is to be understood that the foregoinggeneral description and following detailed description are exemplary andexplanatory but are not to be restrictive of the invention. Theaccompanying drawings are incorporated in and constitute a part of thisapplication and, together with the description, serve to explain theprinciples of the invention in general terms. Like numerals refer tolike parts throughout the disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The objects, spirits and advantages of the preferred embodiments of thepresent invention will be readily understood by the accompanyingdrawings and detailed descriptions, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a schematic drawing showing a structure of exchangeable décorpanel for portable cellular phone according to prior art.

FIG. 2 is the first three dimensional schematic representation depictingthe main body of the cellular phone according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is the second three dimensional schematic representationdepicting the main body of the cellular phone according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 4 is the first three dimensional schematic representation depictingthe décor panel of the cellular phone according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 5 is the second three dimensional schematic representationdepicting the décor panel of the cellular phone according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 6 is a sectional side view schematically showing a compactstructure formed by fitting a bump protruding outwards from the décorpanel to the retainer holes of the main body according to the presentinvention.

FIG. 7 is a three dimensional schematic representation depicting theformation of the main body of cellular phone and the décor panelaccording to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The following embodiments will illustrate the device and the method forprocessing the digital image of the present invention in detail.

Please refer to FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 4, and FIG. 5, the portablecellular phone, as shown, is a folding cellular phone 1 having acontinuing groove located at a proper position of the flip cover 11 andthe base portion 12 thereof, wherein the groove 12 located on the flipcover 11 is installed with a first retainer hole 131, a second retainerhole 132, a third retainer hole 133 and a fourth retainer hole 134; andthe groove 12 located on the base portion 12 is installed with a fifthretainer hole 135, a sixth retainer hole 136, a seventh retainer hole137 and a eighth retainer hole 138, moreover, the groove 12 canaccommodate a flexible décor panel 2 made of rubber. The surface of thedécor panel 2 can be painted with all kinds of patterns and colors forthe attraction of consumer's attendance. The two inner sides of theflexible décor panel 2 are installed with a first rigid plate 3 and asecond rigid plate 4. The two rigid plates (3, 4) are made of a metal orrigid plastic, and the outer rims thereof conform exactly to the outerrims of the décor panel 2, wherein a first retainer 31, a secondretainer 32 and a third retainer 33 are protruding outwards from theouter rim of the first rigid plate 3, and further, a first bump 35 isinstalled at a proper position in the inner side of the first rigidplate 3; correspondingly, a fourth retainer 41, a fifth retainer 42 anda sixth retainer 43 are protruding outwards from the outer rim of thesecond rigid plate 4, and further a second bump 44 is installed at aproper position in the inner side of the second rigid plate 4. A hinge15 connecting the flip cover 11 and the base portion 12 of the foldingcellular phone 1 is covered by the décor panel 2, so that it can be asimple and practical structure without the need for beautification tosave the cost for designing the hinge 15. An antenna 16 is installed ata proper position of the cellular phone 1 for receiving and transmittingsignals.

Besides the foregoing décor panel structure for the cellular phone, inresponse to the most popular folding cellular phone design these days isa cellular with double screens, where a second screen 14 is installed onthe outer side of the flip cover 11 in addition to the first screen (notshown) installed on the inner side of the flip cover 11. The secondscreen 14 can display information, such as time, caller ID, signalstrength, etc., which otherwise can not be read using the conventionalfolding cellular phone 1 before opening its flip cover. Therefore,according to the present invention, the décor panel of the foldingcellular phone with double screens is installed with an opening (21, 34)to cooperate with the second screen 14 of the cellular phone fordisplaying information.

As shown in FIG. 6 and FIG. 7, in order to combine the cellular phone 1with the décor panel 2, the first retainer 31, the second retainer 32and the third retainer 33 protruding outwards from the outer rim of thedécor panel 2 are clipped on the corresponding first retainer hole 131,the second retainer hole 132 and the hird retainer hole 133, and, thesame time that the first bump 35 located on the first rigid plate 3slips into the fourth retainer hole 134, so that a structure with décorpanel 2 fixed on the flip cover 11 is complete, furthermore, the fourthretainer 41, the fifth retainer 42 and the sixth retainer 43 of thedécor panel 2 are clipped on the corresponding fifth retainer hole 135,the sixth retainer hole 162 and the seventh retainer hole 137, and, thesame time that the second bump 44 located on the second rigid plate 4slips into the eighth retainer hole 138, so that a structure with décorpanel 2 fixed on the base portion 12 is complete

As shown in the aforementioned FIG. 1 to FIG. 7, the present inventionindeed can be applied to the folding portable cellular phone withfunctions that can not be accomplished by the prior art. That is, thepresent invention having a continuing groove for accommodating aflexible décor panel, wherein the flexible décor panel contains in itsinner side two rigid plates with at least one set of protruding retainerfor clipping on the continuing groove to form a compact structure. Thus,the décor panel can be changed at will to enable the cellular phone tohave different appearance. Besides, the present invention provides thecellular phone with a better protection while subjecting to an impact byemploying the flexible décor panel as a buffer. Moreover, A hingeconnecting the flip cover and the base portion of the folding cellularphone is covered by the décor panel, so that it can be a simple andpractical structure without the need for beautification.

While the present invention has been shown and described with referenceto a preferred embodiment thereof, and in terms of the illustrativedrawings, it should be not considered as limited thereby. Variouspossible modification, omission, and alterations could be conceived ofby one skilled in the art to the form and the content of any particularembodiment, without departing from the scope and the spirit of thepresent invention.

1-8. (canceled)
 9. A foldable electronic device, comprising: a flipcover, having a first groove; a base portion, pivotally coupled to theflip cover, having a second groove; and a flexible décor panel, securedin the first and second grooves, wherein the flexible décor panel isdeformed flexibly while the flip cover relatively rotates about the baseportion.
 10. The foldable electronic device of claim 9, wherein thefirst groove and the second groove are formed continuously.
 11. Thefoldable electronic device of claim 9, wherein the flexible décor panelfurther includes a first rigid plate coupled with the first groove. 12.The foldable electronic device of claim 11, wherein the first rigidplate further includes at least one retainer disposed on an outer rim ofthe first rigid plate, and the first groove further includes at leastone retainer hole corresponding to the retainer for containing theretainer.
 13. The foldable electronic device of claim 11, wherein thefirst groove further includes at least one retainer hole, and acorresponding surface of the first rigid plate and the first groovefurther includes at least one bump for embedding into the correspondingretainer hole.
 14. The foldable electronic device of claim 9, whereinthe flexible décor panel further includes a second rigid plate coupledwith the first groove.
 15. The foldable electronic device of claim 14,wherein the second rigid plate further includes at least one retainerdisposed on an outer rim of the second rigid plate, and the first groovefurther includes at least one retainer hole corresponding to theretainer for containing the retainer.
 16. The foldable electronic deviceof claim 14, wherein the first groove further includes at least oneretainer hole, and a corresponding surface of the second rigid plate andthe first groove further includes at least one bump for embedding intothe corresponding retainer hole.
 17. The foldable electronic device ofclaim 9, wherein the flexible décor panel further includes an openingthereon.
 18. A foldable electronic device, comprising: a foldable body,having a flip cover and a base portion pivotally coupled with eachother, the foldable body further including a continuous groove disposedthereon and extended from the flip cover to the base portion; and aflexible décor panel, secured in the continuous groove, wherein theflexible décor panel is deformed flexibly while the flip coverrelatively rotates about the base portion.
 19. The foldable electronicdevice of claim 18, wherein the flexible décor panel further includes afirst rigid plate coupled to the continuous groove on a side of the flipcover.
 20. The foldable electronic device of claim 19, wherein the firstrigid plate further includes at least one retainer disposed on an outerrim of the first rigid plate, and the continuous groove further includesat least one retainer hole corresponding to the retainer for containingthe retainer.
 21. The foldable electronic device of claim 19, whereinthe continuous groove further includes at least one retainer holetherein, and a corresponding surface of the first rigid plate and thecontinuous groove further includes at least one bump for embedding intothe corresponding retainer hole.
 22. The foldable electronic device ofclaim 18, wherein the flexible décor panel further includes a secondrigid plate coupled to the continuous groove on a side of the baseportion.
 23. The foldable electronic device of claim 22, wherein thesecond rigid plate further includes at least one retainer disposed on anouter rim of the second rigid plate, and the continuous groove furtherincludes at least one retainer hole corresponding to the retainer forcontaining the retainer.
 24. The foldable electronic device of claim 22,wherein the continuous groove further includes at least one retainerhole therein, and a corresponding surface of the second rigid plate andthe continuous groove further includes at least one bump for embeddinginto the corresponding retainer hole.
 25. The foldable electronic deviceof claim 18, wherein the flexible décor panel further includes anopening thereon.
 26. A foldable electronic device, comprising: afoldable body, having a flip cover and a base portion pivotally coupledwith each other, and the foldable body further includes a continuousgroove disposed thereon and extended from the flip cover to the baseportion; a first rigid plate, coupled to the continuous groovecorresponding to a side of the flip cover; a second rigid plate, coupledto the continuous groove corresponding to a side of the base portion;and a flexible décor panel, coupled to the first rigid plate and thesecond rigid plate, wherein the flexible décor panel is deformedflexibly while the flip cover relatively rotates about the base portion.27. The foldable electronic device of claim 26, wherein the first rigidplate and the second rigid plate further include at least one retainerdisposed on an outer rim of the first rigid plate and the second rigidplate, and the continuous groove further includes at least one retainerhole corresponding to the retainer for containing the retainer.
 28. Thefoldable electronic device of claim 26, wherein the continuous grooveincludes a plurality of retainer holes, and a corresponding surface ofthe first rigid plate, and the second rigid plate further includes aplurality of bumps for embedding into the corresponding plurality ofretainer holes respectively.
 29. The foldable electronic device of claim26, wherein the flexible décor panel further includes an openingthereon.